1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to improvements in the assembly for launching explosives by means of a rifle and, more particularly, to improvements of the assembly of a rifle grenade in which ball ammunition is to be used.
2. Description of the Prior Art
All known prior art rifle grenade assemblies hereafter simply referred to as the grenade, include a fuse which is intended to be activated by gas pressure from a fired blank cartridge in the rifle. As is known, the gas pressure causes the fuse's aft diaphragm to become deformed in a forward direction toward the explosive matter of the grenade. It in turn pushes fore an arming pin which enables the fuse to be armed and then initiate the explosion of the explosives upon hitting a target. A danger has existed in the prior art in that if instead of loading a blank cartridge into the rifle, ball ammunition or ammo is used. Such ammo has a bullet or core. Thus, upon firing the rifle there is a great danger that the bullet may, and often does, deform the diaphragm thus arming the fuse prematurely very near the soldier, which could lead to an explosion near the soldier and thus endanger him and those around him. It is also possible for the bullet to pass through the entire fuse and penetrate and ignite the explosives, which is clearly most dangerous.
The only solution attempted in the prior art to reduce such dangers, which are created by the unintentional use of ball ammo, is to provide a bullet deflector between the rifle and the fuse. The function of the deflector is to deflect the bullet from continuing its travel along the grenade's direction toward the fuse, by deflecting it to travel at a safe angle away from the axial direction and out of the assembly. It is believed that a rifle grenade which is to be launched with ball ammo rather than with blank cartridges could be made very safe if properly designed. With such a grenade, a soldier would not have to carry special blank cartridges but would be able to use the conventional ball ammo for grenade launching. It is to provide an arrangement in the grenade to provide it with its proper safety that the present invention is directed, as follows: